Agriculture news

Tillage Day

When selecting tillage implements, farmers need to take into consideration residue management, soil health, soil type and economics. Producers will have the opportunity to observe both deep tillage and vertical tillage implements during 2012 Tillage Field Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at Split Rail Acres, W4448 County Trunk V, Waldo.

Six implement dealers will be on hand to showcase equipment. There is no fee for the event, however, reservations should be made by Oct. 22 by calling (920) 459-5904.

Local residents shine at World Dairy Expo

MADISON - Area dairy producers and youth exhibitors were recognized during the 2012 World Dairy Expo held earlier this month in Madison.

Earning individual honors in the Central National FFA dairy cattle judging was the Laconia FFA Chapter placing third and the Campbellsport FFA Chapter placing 10th. The Waupun FFA Chapter placed seventh in the Dairy Products contest.

Nathan O'Leary of the Laconia FFA Chapter earned a third place finish for showmanship. Austen Schmitz of Fond du Lac County placed second in the 4-H dairy cattle judging.

In the World Dairy Expo showmanship contest for youth, Kalista Hodorff of Eden placed sixth in the junior division, while Darren Kamphuis of Brandon placed 10th in the senior division.

Budjon Farms and Peter Vail of Lomira exhibited the reserve grand champion female in the Central National Jersey division.

Over 2,587 animals from all over the world were exhibited at the five-day event.

Global dairy market faces supply scarcity

WASHINGTON - Rabobank has published a new report looking at the global dairy industry in the third quarter of 2012, particularly examining supply, demand and pricing developments in key markets around the world. In the report, authored by the bank's Food & Agribusiness Research & Advisory group, Rabobank said the global dairy market appears to be headed for a period of renewed supply scarcity in the next year.

According to Rabobank, the tightening market comes largely from the supply side, where low milk prices, extreme feed costs and unfavorable weather are expected to slow production growth in export regions to a trickle. Rabobank forecasts a reduction in the exportable surplus available from the "Big Seven" export regions - the European Union, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay - in the closing months of 2012 and the first half of 2013 - the first such reductions in more than four years.

On the demand side, Rabobank said some anticipated improvement in the economic position of consumers should provide improved demand for dairy.

Does milk protect against cancer?

LUND, Sweden - Milk consumption has been linked to improved health, with decreased risks of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and colon cancer, according to a report released by the University of Lund in Sweden.

The group of researchers in Sweden found that lactoferricin4-14, a milk protein with known health effects, significantly reduces the growth rate of colon cancer cells over time by prolonging the period of the cell cycle before chromosomes are replicated.

In a new study, investigators report that treatment with lactoferricin4-14 reduced DNA damage in colon cancer cells exposed to ultraviolet light. Their results are published in the October issue of the Journal of Dairy Science.

Flavored milk solution?

SYDNEY, Australia - New research out of Australia shows that flavored milk, despite the added sugar, may be an answer to the problem of low calcium intake in children.

With two out of three Australian children ages 9-16 missing a critical window of opportunity to build strong bones and prevent future health problems by not consuming enough calcium, an international panel of experts discussed possible solutions at the International Congress of Dietetics in Sydney, Australia, which was attended by around 2,000 dietitians from 57 countries. As children grow older, they drink less milk - a key food for providing calcium plus at least nine other essential nutrients.

Researcher Dr. Gilly Hendrie with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization presented research showing that one of the most effective ways to boost calcium intake is to replace sugar-sweetened beverages with low-fat flavored milk.

USDA surveys organic production

WASHINGTON - U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic growers in the U.S. sold more than $3.5 billion organically grown agricultural commodities in 2011, according to the results of the 2011 Certified Organic Production Survey, released Oct. 5 by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS conducted the survey for USDA's Risk Management Agency to help refine federal crop insurance products for organic producers.

"This is the first time we have conducted a survey focused solely on the USDA-certified organic producers," said Hubert Hamer, chairperson of NASS's Agricultural Statistics Board. "With this survey's results, policymakers will be able to better assess the Federal Crop Insurance program and its impact on the organic industry."

Big three approve E15 use

According to a FeedStuffs article, EI5 has been approved by Chrysler for use in 2013 models and GM approved it for use in both 2012 and 2013 models. Ford has approved the use of E15 in vehicles as old as the 2010 model year. The approvals by the car companies are viewed by industry watchers as a significant step toward widespread adoption of a 15 percent ethanol-blended fuel supply.

Potato Production report

MADISON - Wisconsin's potato farmers produced 25.9 million hundredweight (cwt.) of potatoes on 62,500 acres in 2011. Ninety-four percent were sold for use as fresh, processed, or seed potatoes, while the remaining 6 percent were used on the farms where they were grown, or lost after reaching storage.

The value of the Wisconsin's 2011 potato crop was $267 million, with an average price of $10.30 per cwt. The average price was down 30 cents per cwt. from the 2010 marketing year average. The price farmers received for fresh market potatoes was unchanged from 2010 at $11.70 per cwt. The average price received for processed potatoes dropped 80 cents from the 2010 marketing year to $8.40 per cwt.